One of the new recipes that I tried this week was a baked polenta with roasted vegetables. Last week, I talked a little about how many of the new recipes that I've bookmarked to attempt are vegetable rich, and this one is definitely no exception. One thing that I really appreciate about this recipe is the fact that it's possible to assemble it or parts of it a day in advance (which I know will come in handy later).
I've made polenta only one other time, so I already knew that it was going to be a snap to prepare. This recipe has the addition of chopped garlic as well as Parmesan cheese. One thing that I did forget about is how quickly the stuff boils AND splatters once it begins to thicken. It also seemed like a very large amount of polenta, but as I was following my rule of following the recipe the first time, I shrugged it off. Once I had it spread in the baking pan, I popped it in the fridge and started working on the vegetables.
As I worked with the vegetables, I became a bit dubious, because the vegetables were really beginning to pile up in the pan and I wasn't sure if they'd shrink enough to be able to make layers with the polenta. It didn't help either that the recipe instructed me to cut the vegetables quite big, especially the zucchini. I was also worried that some of the vegetables wouldn't roast as well as the others because there was just so much!
Once I finished, I popped them in the oven and stirred them every few minutes. It turns out I was correct about some of the vegetables not roasting properly. Hrmph. Knew I should've cut the veggies into smaller pieces. It was making the kitchen smell quite wonderful though!
Once it came time to assemble everything, I took the polenta out from the fridge, and as instructed by the recipe, cut it in half and carefully lifted one half into the baking pan to make the first layer. The polenta was VERY thick, and I could tell that it wouldn't fit very well once it came time to do the second layer. I suspect if I cut the recipe back by about 1/2 cup, the layers won't be too thick. It became even more evident once I added the vegetables, tomato sauce and cheese. The second layer was a good half inch higher than the baking pan itself, and I was scared that everything was just going to fall off and make a mess in the oven. Shockingly, it didn't, and it turned out very well. Hubby liked it, but shared some of the same concerns that I did as I made the recipe: the vegetables were just too big, and there was just too much zucchini. Guess I'll have to play around with it the next time I make it!
Here's the meal plan for the week. Lots of oldies but goodies, and one new recipe. Enjoy the weekend and happy cooking all!
September 29-Oct 4th
Sunday: Chicken enchiladas
Monday: Cheese soup
Tuesday: Mini pizzas
Wednesday: Peanut butter chicken, rice, cucumbers & peas
Thursday: Tex-Mex cobbler
Friday: Corn frittata with cheese (new recipe)